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Summary: Madonna's Third Book In the Series
Review: "Yakov And the Seven Thieves" is Madonna's third published children's book. She previously published the best-selling "The English Roses" and "Mr. Peabody's Apples". This has the text to please not only children readers but also adult readers. It explores the inspiration of an 18th century Kaballah-based Ukrainian writing teaching that even criminals can become heroes. Madonna proves that she's mastered art beyond music.
This book is Madonna's best in her series. She proves that she's greatly evolved as a writer. She wonderfully establishes the original 18th century text into her own. While offering reading joy, the lesson learned will not be forgotten. The story takes readers on a journey of Yakov's struggles to help heal his sick and dying son Mikhail. Yakov asks help of an old wise man believed to often work miracles. What happens next will amaze readers. Through these words, Madonna changes her writing style from her previous. She forces readers to think more about the events, which opportunitizes deeper reading.
Gennady Spirin paints these portraits beautifully. All offer the added reading pleasure. He gives the story the extended reading journey through the events. The physical surroundings offer the experience beyond the ordinary. He establishes the 18th century wardrobes and architecture precisely.
"Yakov And the Seven Thieves" is great for those looking for a truly unique children's book and all Madonna fans. This is sure to become a classic. Fans of Madonna work, music and/ or writing, should watch for her other two children's books to be released in the near future. Her past two published works are also great for reading.
Rating: 
Summary: Fantasy Morality
Review: By this 3rd book, Madonna is really improving in the game of children's storytelling. First and foremost, GENNADII SPIRIN is a worthy contributor for the stunning pictures that undoubtedly lifted the story out of being just a one-dimensional print media.Madonna tells a tale of how even the worst people can bring good faith and miracles if they put their heart and soul to good use. The large part of the book is still devoted to children storytelling with simple words and a easy-to-follow kind of storyline, which isn't bad. It could be said that this is all too predictable but I guess Madonna always writes with a greater objective in mind, that is to remind us adults that we should not forget the fundamental things we have learned through life. In this instance, it's about not giving all up when hope is at the dimmest and learning to repent to give good to others. So there, you learn some of life's greatest lessons in less than 50 pages os medium font.
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Summary: A moral tale from the Material Girl
Review: I had occasion to read Yakov and the Seven Thieves on a recent visit to some friends who have small children and I have to admit I was absorbed by the book's star power. And the story from pop music icon Madonna isn't bad either. Which is a way of saying that I think the real star of this book is Russian illustrator Gennadii Spirin, who manages to create a magical eastern European world of fanciful architecture and fashion and dreamlike snowy settings using mostly color washings and a trusty No. 2 pencil. The five- and seven-year-old children I read the story to already knew the book before I arrived, and it was the illustrations and not the story that had them giggling in delight. That said, the story itself is pretty good. Madonna's writing style is crisp and fresh -- probably something she developed by writing some of the world's best-known pop songs over the last generation. She seems very comfortable in her role as a storyteller, at least until the last pages, when the story becomes rushed in order to tie everything up while making sure that the moral isn't lost on its diminutive audience. But the kids didn't seem to mind that. The story is about a fellow called Yakov, a village cobbler with a sickly child. When the traditional medicine and the town's wisest elder all fail to help the poor boy, Yakov turns to a cast of characters whose names give a clue to their morals: Ivan the Arsonist, for example, or Vladimir the Villain. The boy is miraculously cured. The point is that we've all got a little bit of Vladimir the Villain in us, and if we are bold enough to admit that and fight these dark tendencies, well, then anything is possible. I am no expert about contemporary children's books, but the moral seems a bit more religious than Mother Goose and the Grimm's Fairytales I grew up with. Again that's a likely reflection on the author, who is famously devoted to Kabbalah, a kind of Jewish mysticism. Fortunately, it is the philosophy's moral values and not its mysticism that shines through. Using the old schoolhouse grading system, I'd call it a sold B -- good enough to consider buying for children in the appropriate age group, but not quite good enough to stop you from wondering if you'd even be thinking about it if it had not been written by one of the world's most recognized popular culture figures.
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Summary: WHO WOULD HAVE THOUGHT!
Review: I like to keep an eye on the readings of my grandchildren, ergo, I picked this one up. I am not a great fan of Madonna, the singer, but I must say this is a delightful book, well thoughtout, good story, wonderful illustrations. I think perhaps I have underrated this young lady. She is certainly tallented. I highly recommend adding this book to your childs library..it is well worth the read.
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Summary: A Pleasant story
Review: I really enjoyed Madonna's first two books and this one is no different. My daughter continuously reads the first two and squealed in delight when I brought home this book. I am so excited that my daughter's generation will know Madonna as a great children's author. I love being able to discuss these moral lessons with my daughter after we finish reading the book. Madonna is really shining light into children's eyes of all ages, even myself. Pick this one up today.
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Summary: Beautifully illustrated but poorly written
Review: If the text had matched the classic illustrations in this book, it would have deserved ten stars. The storyline and message are wonderful. Unfortunately the style is uneven. The author switches back and forth between an older and appropriate storytelling style and smarty ("When they had all finished belching and farting and behaving like twits, they grew very quiet.") modern ("Yakov's heart was broken, and I felt his pain") language. I appreciate the author's efforts to bring stories with moral messages to children, and I hope that she will get some help with her writing skills.
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Summary: A spiritual folk tale
Review: The cobbler Yakov seeks advice from the town wise man because his son Mikhail is deathly ill. Unable to get his prayers past the locked gate of heaven, the wise man enlists a group of thieves and scoundrels to help him unlock the gates. The moral is that by turning away from our bad behaviors we can break though to a blessed life. Author Madonna dedicates the book to "naughty children everywhere." The story has the feel of a folk tale, and the beautiful illustrations provide an old-fashioned Ukrainian backdrop. There is some humor here, as well as the characteristic asides present in the author's other stories. Inspired by the Kabbalah and the works of the 18th century scholar Baal Shem Tov, this is the most spiritual of Madonna's three children's books and the best of them to date. Eileen Rieback
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Summary: A simple story; a powerful theme; and wonderful art!!!!!
Review: The story:
~Yakov, a cobbler, and his wife Olga have a very ill son, their only son, named Mikhail. When everything seem to be lost, Yakov goes for help to the wise old man of the village. With the help of the of seven thieves from the village, the wise old man make the imposible miracle, posible, and the story has a happy ending. The theme: As Madonna puts it, the "story [is]about how all of us have the ability to unlock the gates of Heaven-no matter how unworthy we think we are." Very powerful and spiritual message this lost and contaminated world. The ART:
There are not enough words to describe the art of this book, but just WONDERFUL! GREAT WORK BY MADONNA AND GENNADII SPIRIN.
Rating: 
Summary: Shortchanged
Review: This is my review. Madonna's stories are okay but would be nothing without the brilliant illustrations that these three artists have applied to her words. Why aren't the artists credited on the bookcovers?
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Summary: Better Than Anything JC Ever Wrote ...
Review: This parable-like tale from Madonna's lips already seems like a cultured classic yet is classically unconventional, is totally enticing yet seductively unimpeachable, consumately fateful yet faithfully unpredictable, universally familiar yet sensitively untouchable, spine-tingly realistic yet seemingly unfathomable, remarkably deep yet titanically unsinkable, critically acclaimed yet religiously unwaffling, and ... and ... and .... and hey look Ma! ... it'sa inevitably unstoppable! ... (my favorite character -- Pavel ... [that'sa good name, huh, Ma? ...[I would have said his grandfather but I'm not sure he had a name ... since he's basically the alpha, omega, and trifecta ...[... ok Smarty ... how many brothers and sisters did he have? ...]]] -- so prayers are the answer, huh, Ma? -- well that'sa not such a bitter pill to swallow ... [maybe we should ask JKR if there's a church at Hogwarts [... I mean what'sa Christmas without a church? ...]]
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